It appears spectators and drivers alike will be thrilled by the Teretonga Park round of the 2008-09 DriftSouth championship on Sunday.
The high-speed, sideways-sliding discipline will make its debut at the Invercargill track and series co-promoter Ian Shrimpton said it would provide some dramatic entertainment.
"When we tested in August last year we found the Teretonga sequence of corners chosen for the event was, by any measure, faster than any of our other venues and our drivers realise that it's going to take a bit of taming," Shrimpton, of Christchurch, said.
The formerly "taboo" form of reckless, recreational driving, which originated on Japan's mountain roads, had evolved into one of the "fastest-growing [motorsports] in the world", Shrimpton's son and fellow promoter, Kent, said.
There will be a drift school at the circuit tomorrow morning.
This involves classroom tuition covering basic techniques, as well as track time.
A drift meeting starts with competitors completing two practice sessions to learn their lines.
Qualifying follows, when the cars have individual runs through the judged section and receive a score out of 10 for speed, style and angle.
A spin, or two wheels off the track, results in a zero.
The 16 drivers with the highest average scores from qualifying then advance into the battle rounds, where they will whip through in tandem.
Practice begins at 9.30am on Sunday with qualifying at 11am.
The battles will begin about 1.30pm with the finals from 4pm.
